****Power Library****

Must Use Lancaster County Library from Home for this Database with a Public Library Card.

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Can also use Interlibrary loan serviced.  If you want to look for a book and can't find it in our library, see a librarian.  We can borrow books from all over the state of PA  including universities.

Use your student Username and Password.

Some eBooks have highlighting and note taking features

Tips on Developing a Focus

• Get an overview by reading a general or specialized encyclopedia article on the broad topic.

• Take note of: Names, Dates, Places, Important Facts, and/or Major Events

• Determine main call numbers and browse books in appropriate main call number sections.
• Read over chapter titles in Table of Contents of book in main call number section to get focus ideas.
• Read over subjects in book indexes to get focus ideas.
• Select a topic that has a significant amount of pages. (Look for hyphens.)
• Reminder: In an index italics and bold face sometimes denote pictures.

Make the best of what you find:

• Use Bibliographies found in resource, ACCESS PA and Inter-Library Loan procedures to get books and resources from another library.
• Don’t tell your teacher your topic choice unless you have already identified at least 50% of the total number of resources you think you will need to complete your project or paper!

News/Media Literacy Checklist

Authority:  Who made this?

1. Consider the source. Who created the message or article?
2. Check the author. Another tell-tale sign of a fake story is often the byline. Who are they?
   1. Check About and About me pages: Don’t believe everything they say about themselves.
   2. Website: Is the website (which has posted it) reputable?
   3. Interrogate urls:  do a little investigating – fake sites look like a valid URL
3. Think outside the reliability box: Don’t rely on traditional ideas of what is and isn’t reliable.
4. What exactly are you reading?:  Identify what type of writing you are reading.

Bias (Purpose):  Why was this made?

1. Read beyond the headline: Who is the message intended for? (audience, demographic)
2. Do you suspect bias?: Is there media bias or personal bias from the author?
3. What purpose is evident?: examine financial contributions of sources
4. Differentiate: between verifiable facts and stated opinions.
5. Suspect the sensational
6. Check your own biases - Are you paying more attention to what confirms your own beliefs?
7. Is this some kind of joke? Is this supposed to be Satire or Humor?

Accuracy (Reliability):  How was this made?  What is missing?

1. What’s the support?: Where can you go to locate more accurate information?
2. Code: check for code words and euphemisms. Reread with real words in their place
3. Consult the experts. - Always cross check with other reputable sources.
4. What’s Missing?: Pay attention to what is AND isn't said.
5. Is it Believable?: Does this (posting) seem believable on a basic level?
6. Go back to the source: When an article mentions a study, if you can, go directly to the sourc.
7. Triangulate: Try to verify the information in multiple sources, including traditional media and library databases.

Relevancy:  Where do I go from here?

1. Read entire piece:  After reading, write a real headline that summarizes article for yourself

2.     Use a little energy: Have you done your due diligence in validating the information.

3.     Stop before you forward (or use)!

4.     Be suspicious of pictures!:  Google reverse image search.

Currency:  When was this made?

1. Check the date.
2. Put everything in context. Historical. Regional. Context matters.
3. Go back to the story again (and again): Breaking news will continue to break.

Cite this database as a database

In Noodle Bib  the name of the database would be the section you are using (World History Ancient or World History Modern)

The publisher is ABC-CLIO

First step in Noodle Bib is to identifly what you are citing (magazine, book, newspaper... ) Here's how you can tell what your source is.

Year only=book

Month & year=magazine

Season & year=journal

Specific date=newspaper